Joanie Fay Lotton, 60, died Wednesday, April 9, 2008, at St. Patrick’s Hospital in Missoula, with her family at her bedside after a long battle with cancer.
Her funeral service will be 11 a.m., Thursday, at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Home with Pastor Steve Flatau officiating. Burial will follow at the Highland Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the Eagles Club in Havre. Memorial contributions in Joanie’s honor may be made to the Gift of Life Housing, P.O. Box 7008, Great Falls, MT 59406. Services and arrangements have been entrusted to Holland & Bonine Funeral Home. Joanie was born February 18, 1948, in Havre to Robert and Florence (Helmbrecht) Howieson. She attended school in Havre and California. She married Dennis Hinkle in 1965 and they had two children Robert and Katheryn. The couple later divorced but remained good friends over the years. Joanie married James Lotton in 1973; the couple moved to California where they lived for 17 years. While in California Joanie managed apartments. She retired in 1998. Joanie and James had been married 23 years when they divorced, although they remained best friends. Joanie moved to Missoula where she lived for the past 10 years with her daughter’s family. Joanie was very devoted to her family and four grandchildren: Vincent, Hailey, Katie and Victor. She was very active in their lives. Joanie loved collecting Native American items; she had so many that they filled one entire room in her house. She enjoyed riding on her brotherin- law’s Harley Davidson motorcycle whenever she came to Havre. Joanie also enjoyed camping and fishing. She was preceded in death by her parents; son, Robert Hinkle; and brother, Lee Daulton. Joanie is survived by her daughter, Kathy (Harold) Nelson of Missoula; one sister, Bobbie (Don) Wolf of Havre; uncle, Howard “Weezie” (Cecele) Evanson of Havre; and four grandchildren, Vincent, Hailey, Katie and Victor.
